A variety of electrical connectors have been proposed in the past for numerous specific purposes. For example, electrical connectors have been proposed for use in glass, e.g., vehicle windscreens, for allowing electrical connection between electrical devices embedded in the glass and sources of power and/or other electrical devices. Windscreens often are equipped with electric heaters or defrosters which are embedded between layers which make up the windscreen, and include a simple flat electrical contact for establishing an electrical connection with the defroster. Such flat connections are typically formed by screening a conductive coating, e.g., silver, onto an exterior portion of the windscreen in which a lead from the defroster protrudes. Thus, in order to make electrical contact with the defroster, an electrical connector must be mounted onto the glass so that the connector establishes electrical communication with the flat conductive coating.
One electrical connector which has been proposed for mounting on a conductive coating of a windscreen includes an upstanding cylindrical post and a flat base which carries a layer of solder thereon. Such an electrical connector was first made available by Antaya, Inc., Cranston, R.I. The layer of solder is pressed against the contact on the windscreen, and the solder is heated to flow the solder. Pressure is simultaneously applied to the connector, which presses against the windscreen""s contact. While this device has in the past proven to be useful and has advantages in certain applications, because this prior connector has a flat surface which is soldered against the flat surface of a windscreen""s contact, the pressure applied when soldering tends to press or squeeze much of the solder out from under the connector. Thus, the prior connector is oftentimes mismounted to the windscreen, because most of the solder has been squeezed out from between the connector and the windscreen""s contact during the soldering process. This results in connectors which cannot meet vehicle manufacturing standards for the strength of the connections between windscreens and their electrical connectors. Such mismounting of the prior electrical connectors results in a considerable amount of rework, scrap, and increases in labor time and costs to correct mismounted connectors.
A further difficulty encountered with prior electrical connectors is that they are typically very small. The size of some standard electrical connectors, including many battery connectors, makes the manufacturing processes for forming large quantities of these small connectors extremely difficult to automate. Close tolerances are also difficult to maintain during the manufacturing process, and even small changes to such a connector can necessitate complete retooling after considerable expenditures in reengineering.
The present invention is directed to an electrical connector including a hollow conductive post member with a circular periphery. The post member has a foot portion and a distal end. The distal end has a generally cup shaped indentation. A base member is included having top and bottom surfaces. The foot portion of the post member is mounted to the top surface. At least one standoff extends from the bottom surface of the base member. The at least one standoff is for resting against a contact surface when soldering the electrical connector to the contact surface, thereby separating the bottom surface from the contact surface to define a minimum volume therebetween for occupation by solder.
In preferred embodiments, the distal end of the post member includes an annular ridge encircling the generally cup shaped indentation. The annular ridge has a curved peak. The post member extends from the top surface of the base member at a right angle. The generally cup shaped indentation includes a generally planar bottom wall having an opening therethrough. The opening can form a locking structure capable of engaging with a locking device of a mating connector. The at least one standoff includes four standoffs. A solder layer covers the bottom surface of the base member. The base member includes a central opening therethrough for facilitating spin soldering of the connector.
The present invention is also directed to an electrical connector system including a male connector having a hollow post member with an opening forming a locking structure. A female connector has a socket for insertion of the post member of the male connector therein. A locking device is included for extending from the female connector and is engageable with the locking structure opening of the post member of the male connector for locking the female connector to the male connector.